Lace Wigs And Natural Hair Protection

Growth and Retention on Natural Hair Using Lace Wigs

2011-12-04T16:16:00.000-08:00

Hello again from Lacefora.com,
Want to give you an update on how my healthy hair growth journey is coming along thus far. I have been double protective styling for the past year and a half using full lace and lacefront wigs while my natural hair is flat twisted underneath the wig. My goal for 2011 is to get to full BSL by December 31st, I wasn't quite there when I last checked in September 2011, but I am not far away either.

I purchased a lacefront 14" Indian Remy yaki unit back in August and I have been wearing that in big curls that I curl with a 1 1/2" curling iron and then pin curl it to maintain the look throughout the week. I have been alternating between the Ozone Aplus Brandy wig and the yaki unit up until now, but I recently purchased an It's A Wig Synthetic Braided Lacefront wig that I will be experimenting with for the next month or so.

Besides my major setback in September where I accidentally fried off a 1 1/2" section of hair that I was flat ironing for my length check which was devastating to say the least, I would have to say that I am definitely seeing length retention and growth using lace wigs as my protective style over my protective/low manipulation style for my natural hair. I am joining a No Heat Challenge for 2012 on LHCF that won't allow me to put any heat to my hair for the whole year, so I will not be focusing on length for next year, I will just be focusing on the health of my hair strands.
My natural hair care regimen is still pretty simple, it consists of pre-pooing overnight before every wash which is every 1-2 weeks with sulfate free organic shampoo followed by either Suave Humectant conditioner or Giovanni Deeper Moisture Conditioner. I towel dry in a turbie twist, then spray my hair with Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructer and Essential Oils Lavendar Detangling Leave in spray. With my hair damp from the leave in sprays I then part my hair into 4 sections and apply Mixed Silk Leave in conditioner followed by either grape seed oil or avocado oil for sealing. Once the hair has been moisturized and sealed I flat twist my hair into about 8-12 twists then pin all the ends up with bobby pins. This allows my hair to be as flat as possible underneath the lace wig for a more natural look.

You can now purchase a full lace or lacefront wig here on Lacefora.com for very competitive prices to other sites on the net. Click Here to view selections that will give you a diva makeover while you give your natural hair a rest from daily styling and manipulation.

Guest Post from Costumewigs.com

2011-10-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Lacefora.com readers,

I was contacted by costumewigs.com who wanted to write a guest article for my readers, in which I was more than happy to accept. Read below to find out about wig care and hair protection, as well as a great place to go for your costume wig purchases.

Hair Extensions – Know Your Choices!

If you crave for that elegant look of a chic professional, hair extensions are your best bet. However, before you proceed with your choice of costume wigs or human hair extensions, you must know all the choices that you have open before you make a purchase.

There are two kinds of hair extensions – synthetic and human hair extensions. Both of them are good but human hair extensions are more expensive as they give a more natural look. If you want to pull of a natural look due to any hair loss disorders, human hair wigs are undoubtedly your best choice. Those looking to break free from the everyday monotony of their hair styles in general, may opt for synthetic wigs.

Length of Hair extensions

With hair extensions you can get any length of hair you wish. However, 28-30 inches are the preferred maximum length for your head because it is under too much pressure with longer hair. If you have average height, then 18 inch long hair will suit you and you can extend it up to 22 inches too.

Brands

There are many well-known companies like EasiHair, PutonPieces and Raquel Welch that manufacture human hair extensions, to name a few. For hair extensions, it is always a good decision to trust well-known brands.

Types of Hair Extensions

The kind of hair extension you choose depends upon how long you want to use it. There are permanent and clip in hair extensions. Permanent hair extensions are attached to your hair by a professional and are much more expensive than clip in extensions. They last longer and look real. Clip in extensions, on the other hand, do not require a professional touch. You can attach them at home by following a few instructions. You can remove them whenever you feel like wearing your natural hair.

How are hair extensions attached?

When extensions are attached by a professional, individual strands are attached to real hair or wefts are sewn into your hair. However, the procedure that is usually followed is of attaching individual strands of extension to individual strands of real hair. This is done by a professional. It is much more difficult to have permanent extensions removed. Many people prefer wefting as it can simply be sewn or braided into real hair. However, as your hair grows, the wefts have to be removed and re-attached. This can make this process expensive.

Caring for hair extensions

You have to care for your real hair extensions so that they last longer. To care for them comb them with a soft brush. Using a lot of styling products will damage them. Therefore, keep them as natural as possible. If you are coloring them, make sure it is human hair and get it done from a good professional. And lastly, tie and braid your hair at night.

If you care for your hair extensions well, you can have gorgeous hair for longer time. Get good quality extensions and treat them gently.

In the end, no matter if you want human hair extensions to change your monotonous everyday look, to pull off a natural look due to any hair loss disorders, or to simply flaunt as a sexy nurse with your Halloween costumes this year, hair extensions add that much needed oomph to your personality that makes you all the more desirable.

My Remedy For Single Strand Knots (SSK's)

2011-07-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

As being a natural for most of my life I have always struggled with single strand knots and tangles which are also known as SSK's. Single strand knots can occur very quickly on natural kinky/curly hair, what happens is that the strand of curly hair coils up so much that it eventually curls around itself and forms a knot on the end of the hair strand. If you are not extremely careful when you detangle the hair from these type of knots and tangles, you can pull the whole strand of hair out, causing unnecessary hair loss and potential breakage.

For the past several months I have been trying out different products, mostly natural, to see how I could keep my hair moisturized enough to keep it detangled while my hair is either twisted or braided underneath my wig caps. Since I practice low manipulation techniques for growing my hair, I have been going 7-10 days in a row without combing or brushing my hair. So, I was noticing that every time I would undo my twists or braids at the end of a work week right before I shampoo, my ends would be so tightly coiled around each other that they were always knotted on the ends. While trying to separate the hair apart on the ends of the braids/twists to unravel it, I heard popping and snapping from the hairs on the ends and I was not happy about breaking the ends of my hair. The ends of the hair are the oldest parts on the strand, so they are the weakest part. I was determined to stop or minimize this so it would not hamper my growth potential.

You will notice in previous posts that I have raved about several products that I have tried and really liked. Don't get me wrong, those products do work excellent for my hair overall and have greatly contributed to the recent growth and health of my hair, but I still was plagued by SSK's. Recently, within the last month, I purchased Silk Elements Mixed Silk leave in conditioner from Sally's Beauty Supply and have been really pleased with the results. It has a lot of slip, which makes detangling a breeze and it definitely leaves the hair feeling moisturized and soft to the touch. This product is very easy to work with and apply because it comes in a large, sturdy, plastic bottle with a pump.

I have also talked about moisturizing/sealing and the products I was using at the time, but I am updating those products in this post. Now I am using Grape Seed Oil to seal my hair with and this oil has greatly diminished the SSK's in my hair. I am so impressed with this oil and how beneficial it can be to hair. It is very light and you do not have to apply a lot of it to see the shine payoff in you hair. It gives off a nice sheen without looking or feeling greasy to the touch. You can see the gloss on my hair from the pictures.

So now, after I have shampooed and conditioned my hair with Suave Humectant conditioner (which is the best commercial conditioner I have tried to date, talk about moisture!), and sprayed my scalp with a leave in scalp treatment. I apply the Mixed Silk leave in conditioner in sections, then go behind that with the Grapeseed oil. Once I have moisturized and sealed all of my hair, I either twist or braid the hair and pin all the twists together into a bun to protect the ends. I tie the the hair down with a satin scarf and let it air dry. This helps my hair to lay flat and not be all poofy under my wigs.

I recently decided to wear my natural hair out so I bought some Curlformers and I tried them on my hair for the first time over the 4th of July weekend and it turned out pretty good. I have a few pictures to show my results. I used Eco Styler Argan Oil gel to set the hair in the Curlformers, after I had moisturized and sealed my hair as I have explained above.
I really liked the look and results I got from the Curlformers, but I will say my curls did not really last but for that day. My hair looks frizzy in some spots because the those curls were not totally dried, so they did not set properly. I also think the heat and humidity in the air here in S. California contributed to the frizz factor as well, but it was still very soft and detangled from the use of the Grape Seed Oil. When I try the curlformers again on my natural hair, I may record some of the process and post it here for you to see.
One thing I will say now about the Curlformers is that you do not want to place them as close to your scalp like many tutorials have stated because they can straight rip your hair out of your head if you are not cautious! I also would not recommend sleeping in these Curlformers if you do feel the need to place them close to your scalp, because when you lay down and manipulate the position of the curlformers, they will pull on the hair. I heard one of the curlformers doing this while I was sleeping, so I had to remove it right away in the middle of the night! I think the combination of the gel drying on my roots and the curlformer pulling it with the slightest movement was causing it to pull very hard on that particular section of hair that was in the curlformer. I immediately woke up and loosened all of the curlformers away from my scalp and I felt like a thousand pounds had been released from my scalp! Tension is one of the worst enemies for a scalp and has caused many cases of alopecia and hair loss in women of color.
Next time I am either going to use the curlformers early in the day with enough time to air dry or I will let it air dry most of the day and use the heat of a blow dryer to dry it the rest of the way. I will not sleep in curlformers if I can help it. Also, to help the style last longer next time, I am either going to pincurl the hair up or pull all of the curls to the top of my head and place a loose scrunchy on them to secure them (which is referred to as the pineapple), then put on a satin bonnet before going to bed.
Please note that I am not being paid to review any of these products on this blog, these are my honest opinions. What has worked for me, may not work for everyone else. I welcome all comments and other opinions.

Be sure to follow this blog for tips and products reviews related to natural DIY haircare and retaining growth through low manipulation styling using lace wigs.

Maintaining Healthy Hair Under A Lace Wig

2011-04-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

When wearing a lace wigs or weaves, it is very important to maintain the health of your hair while protecting it with hair extensions. I have been able to see a dramatic change in the length and health of my hair due to simple hair care practices and low manipulation. I have added a couple of new simple steps to my natural hair care regimen which have helped restore my hair's health.

1) Weekly Hot Oil Treatments: I have been using a combination of oils to my hot oil mix that consist of Coconut Oil, Emu Oil, Jojoba Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil or regular Castor oil and either Hot Six Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I combine the oils in a plastic container and heat it for 1 minute and letting it cool for about 4-5 minutes. Then, I pour it into an applicator bottle and apply it directly to my scalp in small sections. I massage the oil into each section of my scalp, and then I apply the oil down the rest of the hair shaft. I run my fingers through the section of hair and work the oil into the hair really well while detangling the hair by finger combing it and separating it with my hands. I do not use any comb during this process and I have noticed that I can detangle my hair very well without a comb. I then twist each section of hair down to the ends of the hair. After all of my hair from root to end has been saturated with the hot oil mix and twisted together, I pin the twists on top of my head and place 2 plastic processing caps on my head with a head scarf on top of that. I usually leave it in overnight and shampoo it out in the morning with my usual Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo and Smooth As Silk Conditioner.

2) Moisturizing and Sealing: After I let my hair air dry for about 15 minutes, I have been spraying my hair and scalp with Hope Labs Energizer Hair Follicle Stimulator leave in hair treatment. I massage it into my scalp, with my fingertips only (no nails), then comb it through to the ends of the hair with a wide tooth comb. After that, I Moisturize by putting Beyond the Zone Split Mender throughout my hair in medium sections, then comb it through to the ends with a Denman Brush. Immediately after that, I Seal by applying Castor Oil on each section of the medium sections, from root to end and brush it through the hair. Applying the Castor Oil on top of the Beyond the Zone Leave in Conditioner is the process of sealing in the moisture from the water based leave in conditioner into the strands of my hair from root to end.

When I have moisturized and sealed all of my hair I either twist my hair into about 7-8 medium sized twist or braid my hair into 2 french braids on each side of my head and pin the ends up with a bobby pin. This is how my hair will stay for a whole week to two weeks at a time, I do not comb or brush my hair the entire time. I re-moisturize my hair every other day by spraying it with the follicle booster then lightly apply Nature's Blessing's Hair Pomade to my edges every few days.

That is basically it for my current hair regimen and it is working well thus far. I do not have to spend a lot of time on my hair in order to care for it properly under my protective style of choice. With the Aplus Ozone wigs I wear a black color wig cap on top of my natural hair under the lace wigs. I recently purchased a new brand of wig caps that have Organic Shea butter, Olive Oil and Vitamin E infused into them so that they can help keep the hair moisturized instead of the traditional wig cap which can often times be drying to the hair. To reduce any chance of breakage to my edges, I avoid using the combs that come inside of the wigs at the temple area and I make sure my edges are laying down to avoid snagging of unruly edges. I have been wearing Ozone Aplus Lacefront Wigs for about 6 months now, and I really love them. I purchased another Brandy Lacefront wig, but in a color 1B/30, back in March that is holding up very well. The color is great and it looks really natural with the light brown colored lace over a natural part in my real hair, which allows my scalp to show through the lace instead of a nude colored wig cap. I slick down the edges of my hair in the front with Giovanni Wax Pomade and pull the wig cap back about 3 inches from my edges and then place the lace wig on my head, making sure the part in the lace wig matches up with the part I made in my own hair. As you can see in the pictures on the right, it looks natural and I do not have to apply any glue or tape to achieve this look.

I will continue to use lace wigs as my protective style of choice because it has not been harmful in any way to my natural hair, if nothing else they have accelerated my growth. They help because I do not manipulate or comb my hair for days sometimes weeks at a time and I do not pull my hair into tight ponytails or braids. I have learned from those costly mistakes that I made to my hair in the past and I will not repeat it. Lace wigs may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you are looking for a simple change, then give one a try, you just might like it. Be sure to check out the Healthy Hair Products page to purchase a lot of the products that I have used to grow and protect my hair under Lace wigs. Most of the products on that page either qualify for free shipping or ship for less than $2.
Happy Hair Growing Lacefora.com readers.

Self Trimming Natural Straight Hair With The Split Ender

2011-04-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

BEFORE

Trimming Ends is a big debate in the natural hair community, some feel it is essential in growing hair and others feel that their hair will grow longer if they do not trim/cut their hair. In my opinion I feel that trimming split ends is very important in my hair growth journey. Since I choose to wear lacefront wigs as my protective style during my hair growth journey, I need to pay special attention to my natural hair, so deep conditioning and trimming ends are very important and have played a big roll in helping me achieve growth thus far.

I recorded a short video demonstration, on 4/5/11, of how I usually cut my hair every 3-4 months. The longest I will go without trimming my ends is 6 months, if I go longer than that I will have to cut more inches off of the hair. I purchased a Split Ender from Ross when I heard that they had a rare few and they were going fast! This happens to be the first version of the Split Ender and there in now a newer version called the Split Ender Maxi, but the original make definitely does the job. Around 2005 my sister gave me one of these Split Enders and I sold it on Ebay because I did not think that it worked at all, but on the second go around I have really found it to be very essential in my natural hair growth journey. I only like to trim my hair when it is flat ironed straight because I can really see all of my hair. I put some One n Only Argan Oil in my hair before I went through it with the Split Ender.

Please excuse some of my facial expressions toward the end of the video when I am cutting my hair with the hair scissors; I could not get up close to the mirror to see everything I was doing, so I was squinting. I wanted to make sure I captured as much as possible on camera.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When I use the Split Ender I usually go over small sections of hair 2-3 times and I hold my hair at the roots as I pull down with the Split Ender, because it has small teeth on it and it will snag the hair. As you can see in the video, after I finished going over the hair with the Split Ender my hair was the same length as before. The Split Ender is designed so that you do not have to lose any length to achieve a head of healthy hair free of split ends, I really like that about it. After I finished going through and actually cutting off some length (about 3/4"-1") on the ends, my hair fell in place very nicely.

AFTER

When I finally washed my hair I could tell that my hair felt softer and I had less breakage. My curls did revert back to normal after I washed it, but I did a hot oil treatment on my hair before I washed it. In the microwave I heated up some EVCO, Hot Six Oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil and applied it to my straightned hair. I let that sit for an our under a plastic cap and washed it out with Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo and Conditioner. After shampooing and conditioning, I felt a big difference in my hair after finally trimming my ends after more than 3 months and by doing a hot oil treatment.

I have already decided that the Split Ender will be a key contributor in my hair growth journey and I will continue to use the Beyond the Zone Split Mender Leave-in Conditioner. So, now I will be adding weekly hot oil treatments and deep conditioning to my hair regimen so that I can get to my goal of bra strap length by the end of this summer.

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed professional. I am simply sharing what I have learned with others. I realize that everyone has different hair needs, so please do what is best for you and your hair.

How I Mix and Apply Henna To My Natural Hair

2011-03-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

In this video demonstration I am showing you how I usually mix my henna when I apply it to my natural hair. This is my first time trying the Rainbow Research Natural Black Henna in my hair. In the past I used Body Art Quality Henna that I purchased on eBay in 2009. I really liked the results that the Henna gave my hair so I decided to try Black Henna to see if I could get a black tint to my strands instead of the usual red tint that the body art quality henna gives off.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When I mixed my henna in the past I either used these items or similar items in my henna mixes. I have used black coffee as the liquid in the past, but I did not like the strong coffee smell that stayed in my hair for about a week after applying that particular henna batch. In this mix I decided to use African Royale Hot Six Oil, which is a blend of over 10 natural/essential oils that gives the hair added moisture because henna can be of a gritty/thick consistency and can give a dry feeling to the hair. I also used natural black tea and Suave Naturals Almond and Shea Butter conditioner. I like to keep it simple when it comes to my henna mixtures because I don't want to take away too much from the benefits of the henna on the hair itself.

My results turned out to be less than desirable when I saw that the Rainbow Research Persian Black Henna did not color the grays in the front of my hair, but it did do a great job of conditioning the hair. My hair was very soft and pliable when I finally washed then henna out the next day. I used VO5 Moisture Milk Conditioner to wash the henna out of my hair completely in the shower. I would highly recommend placing down newspaper on the floor when you are applying this henna to your hair because it can be messy and fall to the floor. I should have added a little more liquid to this mixture after I let it set for a half an hour, because it was still a little too pasty.

Overall, I feel that henna is great for the hair, it thickens the hair strands and it gives them strength. I will stick with Body Art Quality Henna for coloring my gray hair without chemicals, it will give them a gold color while the rest of my hair is reddish brown in the sun. I also ordered some Indigo Powder to follow the Henna to give my hair a blue black color, I will try to record that process in the future.

I hope you enjoyed watching and learned something you can use in your own personal hair growth journey.

Flat Ironing an Ozone Aplus Lacefront Wig

2011-03-03T21:31:00.001-08:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Here in this video I am displaying how I flat iron a synthetic lace wig. This is the Ozone Aplus Brandy Wig that I have talked about in a previous post. I am still wearing this unit because it has worked out pretty well in my hair journey and my protective styling. You will see that I am going over certain portions of the hair several times with my Helen of Troy Ceramic and Titanium flat iron because it gets really puffy on the ends after washing it. I would never go over my natural hair that many times with any type of heat, so this is a great release for my hair styling compulsions. This was sort of a last minute video idea that I decided to do, I hope you can see how versatile this unit is and I am still wearing it without any glue adhesives. I would suggest putting some bobby pins in the areas around the temples because they will lift up very easily and expose the lace. The picture above is a closer look of how the lace appears on top of my natural part. A YouTube viewer asked if you can see the grids of the lace more with my natural part but as you can see in the picture, I don't have that issue. If I really want it to be secure, I will put a piece of lace wig tape adhesive on the ear tabs for a short term hold. That's all I have to update you on for now, but stay tuned for more.

A Much Needed Break From Gluing Down My Lace Wigs

2011-02-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Hello again Lacefora.com readers,
I wanted to share with you my recent experiences using lace wigs as my protective style of choice. A few months back I decided to purchase a synthetic lace front wig because I wanted to give my hairline and skin a break from adhering my full lace wigs with adhesives. I was starting to notice that the skin around my hairline was starting to look unnatural when I would remove my unit. There was a very light colored ring around my head from where my skin was not getting any natural light due to my lace wigs constantly covering that area. So I decided to stop using the BMB adhesive and purchase an Ozone Aplus synthetic lace wig. Ozone Aplus lace wigs are very different from your traditional beauty supply synthetic lace front wigs in that they have french lace instead of the hard, plastic type lace. The pictures below show a comparison of the skin in front of my natural hairline from 9/2010 and the change in 12/2010.

My very first lace front wigs were the synthetic wigs with the hard lace and I quickly knew that they were not for me. That lace was so hard that it actually cut into my skin and it itched very bad. The Ozone Aplus lace wigs are excellent, the french lace is so soft against your skin just like my human hair lace wigs. The Ozone Aplus lace wigs use premium synthetic fiber hair that is heat resistant and soft. I don't really feel a need to apply adhesive to this unit because it fits very snug on my head and a couple of bobby pins will do just fine. You definitely have many options with this brand of synthetic lace front wig; you can apply adhesives to adhere this unit for a more secure fit if you like, or you can use the combs and adjustable straps that come inside of each unit.

These pictures are of my Aplus Ozone Lace Front Wig Brandy in a color 1B. I have parted my hair and braided it back so that I can part the wig exactly where my natural hair is parted to achieve this natural look. I have not used and glue or tape adhesives, I have simply adjusted the straps in the back and placed it on my head. I really enjoy this bone straight look and it takes me no time to achieve this look in the morning.

The next two pictures below show me wearing my Aplus Ozone Lace Front Wig called Miami, in a color 1B/30. I like the texture of this hair because it reminds me of a braidout with a medium wave pattern. I wear it the same way as the Brandy lacefront but I just wear a nude color wig cap underneath.

After 2 months of not adhering my lace wigs with tape or glue, I noticed that my skin around my hairline has returned to it's natural color and my hairline looks normal.
I am back to protective styling and low manipulation, using my lace wigs as my guide. I would highly recommend purchasing an Ozone Aplus lacefront wig because they are a great value and offer a great alternative to regular trips to the salon. Stay tuned and be sure to Follow this blog for more information on my experiences with my natural hair growth journey and lace wigs.

The Process of Straightening My Natural Hair...

2010-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Well here is the video I promised to record once I straightened my natural hair to show the length I have retained using lace wigs as my protective style of choice for 2010. I apologize if the video is of poor quality but I am still working on a permanent setting to record my videos but I am working with this for now. This video was recorded on 12/24/10.

I shampooed and conditioned with Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture, then I deep conditioned my hair overnight with Pantene Pro V Frizz Down Deep Moisturizing Conditioner. The next day I washed the conditioner out and sprayed my hair and scalp with a leave in growth treatment then Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructer and followed that with One n Only Argan Oil. I put about a nickel size amount in each of the four sections of my hair, then let it dry in four braids overnight. This is where the video basically begins, where my hair is air dried and I am ready to apply heat to my hair.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I realize that there is a lot of smoke coming off of the styling tools but that is the Argan Oil burning off instead of protein from my hair. The Argan Oil is a great heat protectant but I noticed that it makes my already thin hair, look extremely thin and I don't care for that too much.

So when I do my hair again in a week or so, I will skip the Argan Oil until after I have finished flat ironing. I was not able to take pictures for my length check but I just trimmed my ends with my Split Ender and I love it, so I know that the next flat ironing session will be much smoother. I will use a heat protector by Giovanni that is water based instead of oil based next time, so that I will be able to get maximum swang.

At first I used a ceramic + titanium flat iron by Helen of Troy Professional Series, but I was not used to the cord and I was not getting my roots straight. Oh, I had to get my roots straight in the back section again because when I went outside the moisture in the air had almost reverted the roots back to wavy again, the top of my head was covered with a hat, so it did not revert.

Ultimately, I liked the results of the ceramic flat iron, I was actually surprised that it was getting my ends so straight, but the marcel flat iron was much quicker and I was more comfortable using the comb chase method with the marcel iron because I have done it before. I hope you enjoy the video, sorry it is so long but I wanted to put as much of the process in as I possibly could.

Well, I am looking forward to starting my 2011 hair challenges and goals, I am in a Bra Strap Length challenge on LHCF and I am joining the 2011 braid challenge again. I think I retained a lot of length this year with low maintenance and protective styling. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to leave a comment, be sure to include your email address if you would like me to respond to you.

Best Twist Out Results Ever On My Natural Hair!!!

2010-11-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

So, I decided to remove my latest installation of braids this weekend which had been in for about 5 weeks. I shampooed and conditioned my hair with the Therapeutic shampoo and conditioner that I talked about in a previous post then towel dried with my Turbie twist. After my hair air dried for about 30 minutes I put in some Beyond the Zone Split Mender Leave-In Conditioner and let me tell you, that conditioner has so much slip, it is unreal. Since my hair was feeling so good, I decided to try a wash and go, after running a few errands my hair had completely dried and I did not like the results. My hair had drawn up so tightly and it looked very dry but was soft to the touch and had body.

When I got home I decided to try a twist out on my wash and go hair. I parted small sections with my fingers, sprayed the section with water, then added Palmer's (yes, the cocoa butter maker) Styling Cream on the section from about 1/2 inch down from the root and smoothed to the ends. Then I split the section into two pieces and twisted them together all the way down to the end. I repeated this all around my head until I had about 12 or 13 medium sized twist all around.

One thing that I noticed was that the Palmers Styling Cream instantly sealed my ends and smoothed them down very nicely. I mean the roughest section of my hair was the smoothest I have ever seen it and then I realized that the styling cream has Vitamin A, D, E with Protein. I think my natural hair really needs this protein and I could instantly see the difference. My hair was not greasy, it had great definition and lots of body. These pictures are from the next morning when it had fully air dried overnight.

I decided not to wear my twist out just yet because I am still on a hide my hair and braid challenge, so I will just leave the twist in and wear a half wig until I get my Ozone Aplus lace front wig that I just ordered. I also purchased an inexpensive ceramic+titanium flat iron for my next length check. I purchased this Palmer's Styling Cream about 5 months ago from my local Big Lot's store for $2 and I came across it again recently in one of my PJ drawers and figured I would use it. I am glad I tried it because this is the best twist out I have ever had on my 4a hair. I will record the process next time and I am going to henna my hair first before I wear my twist out because I don't want any grays showing and I want that red stain on my hair. Until Next Time Lacefora.com readers.
Please post any questions you may have for me in the comment section below.

Update 11/24/10:
So I wanted to come back to show my hair after it had been tied up underneath a wig cap and half wig for 3 days. I untwisted all of the twists I had made in my hair on Saturday with the Palmer's Vitamin and Protein Styling Cream because I was about to wash my hair, and this is how it looked...

I really liked how it turned out, my hair was still very moisturized and it was well defined. My hair still had body and I could have rocked this look for Thanksgiving but I decided to wear my Ozone Aplus wig that I received this same day! My Hair is completely dry and no other product has been added to my hair since the styling cream was added 4 days prior to these pictures. So, my overall rating of this product is 2 thumbs up!

My Version of the KimmayTube Leave-In Conditioner Recipe

2010-11-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

Hello readers,

Well as promised I am showing you my mixture of one of the most popular recipe's in the natural hair community, which would be KimmayTube's leave-in conditioner recipe. This was actually my first time making the leave-in conditioner and while I did not use the exact products that she used in her You Tube video (such as the Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner), they were close enough, plus I added my own twist to it.

I used 2 tablespoons (1 oz.) of Beyond the Zone Split Mender Leave-in conditioner, 2 tablespoons (1 oz.) of Whole Leaf Aloe Vera Juice, 2 teaspoons each of Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Jojoba Oil with 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin e oil for preservation. You will see me mixing up these items together in the video below and you will see how I accidentally spilled some extra Aloe Vera juice in which may account for why my mixture came out so watery.

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The purpose of this leave-in conditioner is to give hair a proper pH balance so that your hair can also be moisturized at the same time. A proper pH balanced product can instantly seal the cuticle of the hair shaft and should leave the hair feeling soft. I put the mix into the refrigerator and the leave-in conditioner did thicken up a bit and had a better consistency after about 4 days. I did end up trying my leave-in conditioner on a section of my hair and I immediately felt the difference in the way it felt and this mixture gave my hair a lot of slip. I would definitely recommend trying Kimmaytube's leave-in conditioner recipe because it can be cheaper than purchasing a commercial leave-in conditioner, and I will alternate between this and Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-in Conditioner which is organic and really good in my opinion.

Let me know if you decided to try this recipe and how it worked for you. I am seriously considering purchasing the new One n Only Flat Iron that has Argan Oil infused into the ceramic plates and if I do I will definitely be doing a review on it.
Update: I purchased a Helen of Troy Ceramic+Titanium Professional Flat Iron on 11/22/10 and I will be testing it out very soon.
Be sure to check out some of my other blog posts regarding protecting your natural hair and growing it long.

Detangling My Natural Hair Using Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-in Conditoner...

2010-11-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

Hello again Lacefora.com readers,

I am back showing you all how I detangle my natural hair after I have shampooed and conditioned it. I have been using an all natural hair product called Hair Renew that I found on eBay and it comes with a therapeutic shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment spray that I have been spraying on my weak edges. I really enjoy the conditioner because it gives me a lot of slip.

This set cost me $38 but it has lasted me for over two months. In the video below I am showing you my natural hair in it's curly state and my detangling process using the Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-in Conditioner. I made a previous post raving about this product, but now I am actually showing you how I use it.
Click Play below:

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So, that's my regular routine for detangling my hair after my braids have been removed and it has been freshly washed and slightly towel dried. When my hair is in braids I shampoo and condition my braids once a week and I spray the Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructer and the Hair Renew spray that you saw me spray on my hair in the video. Once a month I take the braids down and thoroughly detangle my hair like shown in the video.

I received my order of Giovanni products which are my favorite natural products by far; I purchased Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo and Conditioner (actually 2 bottles of conditioner), Giovanni Nutrafix Protein Treatment and Giovanni wax pomade. I also bought some Beyond the Zone Split Mender Leave-in conditioner and some whole leaf Aloe Vera Juice to mix with my jojoba oil and Lavender Jamaican Black Castor Oil to make my Kimmaytube leave-in conditioner recipe, so stay tuned for that...

After my hair air dried, I braided my hair in about five plaits or braids as flat as possible to my head, then applied my full lace wig. Please click on the comment link to leave a comment or ask a question, I always respond to your questions promptly. Until next time, Happy Hair Growing!!!

Update 3/28/2011:
I am still using the Beauty Without Cruelty Leave in Conditioner and it is still doing a great job. I just re-purchased this conditioner and I used it in my natural hair after I had shampooed and condtioned it. My hair is still soft 2 days later and it leaves my ends very soft and moisturized. I highly recommend this BWC leave in conditioner for any naturals who are looking for an organic leave in product that really works.

How to Remove A Full Lacefront Wig

2010-10-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

When removing a full lace or front lace wig it is very important to take your time and work in small sections to ensure that you do not pull out any of your natural hair from your hairline.

In this video I will be giving you an update on my full lace wig that I applied in a previous video (click to see application video) and show you how I remove the unit. I really needed to cleanse my scalp because it was starting to itch and that let me know that I was getting buildup on my scalp so I shampooed and conditioned. I am using 91% alcohol and C-22 Citrus Solvent in this demonstration and you will see how I layer the two products to give me a more efficient removal.

I was being sure to carefully lift the lace off of my hairline, but there was an area of hair in the back that got a little adhesive on it. So, I held my hair down by the roots and gently pulled the lace and wig cap off of my hair. I do this so that I am not accidentally pulling my hair out by the roots if a little adhesive does happen to get caught in the hair.

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To ensure that all of the adhesive glue was out of my hair after the lace unit was off, I sprayed my hairline with the C-22 Citrus Solvent, massaged it in, then wiped it off. The BMB adhesive comes right off with the Citrus Solvent, but you must shampoo the Citrus Solvent out of your hair.

I hope this video gives you a good idea of how to remove your lace wig. I know I have covered a lot of information about how to apply a lace wig, but never how to remove it properly. Please subscribe to this blog if you would like to stay updated on natural hair protection and growth using lace wigs.

Washing Natural Hair In Braids

2010-10-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Lacefora.com readers,

The selfish philosopher rages. I have been holding out on you and not sharing all of my go to products, but I wanted to share with you my experience with natural hair and extension less braids, which means that your own natural hair is braided to the scalp and no synthetic braiding hair is used.
I am still trying to use all natural products so I used a lavender shampoo by Whole Foods 365 and Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner. I do not care for the Lavender shampoo because it does not lather very well and I did not know if it got all of my braided hair thoroughly cleaned.

After my hair had air dried I coated the ends of my hair with Beauty Without Cruelty Leave in Conditioner.
I have been using this product for about 2 months and I feel that I can give you an honest review. This leave in conditioner has left my hair feeling soft and very manageable when it is out of braids, and when I put this product on the ends of my hair they instantly curled up as if they had been sprayed with water or some liquid. This conditioner is a cream but is not thick at all. It actually has a water based consistency and is very easy to apply throughout my 3c/4a hair.

I recently read a post on the forum I belong to and one of the young ladies said that she was going to stop wearing her hair braided because "her ends were becoming thin". When I started the crowning glory method I researched a lot and learned that it was very important to keep your hair balanced with a combination of protein and moisture and very important to keep your ends moisturized and trimmed. So don't be afraid to grow your natural hair out using braids...as long as you keep your scalp clean and your ends moisturized, you should be able to achieve growth and retain the length you have worked so hard to get.

Light Yaki Lace Wig Application

2010-10-02T00:12:00.001-07:00

Hello my fellow readers,
I just wanted to show you my latest lace wig application. This is my Indian Remy Light Yaki Full Lace Wig, that I have dyed to a dark brown color on top and it is still 1B on the bottom, mostly in the back.
My natural hair is braided and has been freshly washed. I used my Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Shampoo and Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner on my scalp and braids. I have been using a natural product called Hair Renew and so I sprayed some of that on my braids after they had been air dried. I wash my hair every time I remove my lace unit, which is usually every 5-7 days.

Again, I have glued my wig cap down using BMB lace wig adhesive and prepped my hairline with 91% alcohol that I purchased from Walgreen's and Walker's Scalp Protector all around because this is a full lace application. After the wig cap set in the glue for about 7 minutes I cut the excess off and tried to follow the pattern of my natural hairline. I did not do that great of a job cutting the wig cap this time and I created a couple of runs in the nylon, but the main idea is to cover your natural hair so you can reduce the amount of glue that may get in it.

Watch the video below to see the actual application from that point I left off explaining above, I will wrap up after the video.

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So, as you can see this was a pretty simple application and it was not that messy. I did have to go back in with the BMB and touch up the sides the next day because I had totally misjudged how far to go down on the side burn area. I purchased this unit from a vendor that I am looking to work with in the near future on a business venture. I have sampled a couple of full lace units from various vendors, mostly Chinese, but so far I have only liked 2 out of the 4 sampled.

I really like this particular unit, it is 16" long and it is a yaki straight texture. An older male co-worker told me that I looked like a black Cher, I did not know what to think about that, but I like the sleek look of it after it has been wrapped.

I am working on posting new content on a weekly basis to keep this blog fresh. I love the fact that I am able to use video to help my readers get a better understanding of what I am attempting to explain. Be sure to bookmark me and check back regularly for information on natural hair protection using lace wigs.

How to Cut the Lace on a Full Lace Wig Video

2010-09-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Lacefora.com,
Have you ever wondered if your favorite celebrity is wearing or has worn extensions? Lace Front wigs have been around for a long time in Hollywood and they were only available to the rich and famous. Not until recently have they become available to mainstream common folks like you and I. Well I have found a great book that tells us everything we need to know about Lace front wigs and the celebrities who wear them.
Check out this great e book to get the scoop on your favorite celebrity and their hair secrets, Click Here!
Then decide if a Lace Front or Full Lace Wig would be the right option for you and let Lacefora.com help you find the perfect Lace unit and makeup look for your transformation.

The video below is a Lacefora.com demonstration on how to cut the lace on a Full Lace Unit.

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Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque Review

2010-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Lacefora.com readers,
I have been searching for a good deep conditioning hair masque or mask that has natural ingredients in it and delivers great results. I came across the Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair Masque at Sally's Beauty Supply and I decided to try it because I have heard positive things about the Beyond the Zone Line.

Since I have been wearing my natural hair in braids since December 2009 I don't get a chance to deep condition my hair on a regular basis because I don't feel like it's the same when you have your hair braided and trying to deep condition in those braids. So about once a month, when I take my braids down, I get a chance to give all my hair strands and scalp a good conditioning treatment which is crucial when trying to achieve healthy hair.

My 3c/4a hair tends to be very tangled and coarse when I take it out of braids, so I wanted a product that would tame all of that unruliness I knew I was going to have to deal with. So, I purchased the Beyond the Zone Hair Masque because it claims to treat battered or abused hair and repairs damaged hair while taming frizz and adding shine. Well it did exactly those things for my hair!

The package directions tell you to leave it on for 5 minutes then rinse thoroughly and be sure to follow the directions exactly. This product is for professionals but if you follow the directions it should be fine. I shampooed and conditioned my hair with my Renew hair products (which I will do a review on very soon), then put in the Last Call Hair Masque for 5-7 minutes then rinsed all of the product out and let my hair air dry in two twists. I could not believe how soft my hair was when it was finally dry, it felt like soft velvet. Area's of my hair that were noticeably damaged before were nice and soft as if the cuticle was instantly sealed.

These are the ingredients:

WATER ,KAOLIN ,CETYL ALCOHOL ,GLYCERYL STEARATE ,CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE ,GLYCERIN ,STEARYL ALCOHOL ,WATER ,MINERAL OIL ,CANANGA ODORATA FLOWER OIL ,GELATIN ,STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE ,PANTHENOL ,DICETYLDIMONIUM CHLORIDE ,METHYLPARABEN ,FRAGRANCE ,YELLOW 6 ,TETRASODIUM EDTA ,PROPYLPARABEN ,EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS LEAF OIL ,NETTLES EXTRACT ,ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF E ,BUTYLENE GLYCOL ,WATER ,PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT ,MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL

I know that these are not the most natural ingredients and mineral oil is a big no no in the natural hair community, but my hair was very easy to comb thru and it did not tangle as easily as it usually does. So my final thought on the Beyond the Zone Last Call Hair mask is that it is a must have for me and it will be added to my staple of products. I believe that this is a mild to medium protein treatment so I will limit this treatment to no more than twice a month. I am still on the hunt for a good moisturizing deep conditioner to balance out the protein. To see what my natural hair looks like please click here.
Be sure to leave a comment if you have had similar positive results from this hair masque.

My Full Lace Wig Application Video

2010-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Lacefora.com,

I am back with another post about my full lace wig protective style. I have recorded a video of me applying my 16" Indian Remy Full Lace Wig that I dyed myself to a light brownish blonde color. I used the usual items like 91% alcohol, Walker's Scalp Protector, BMB Strong Hold Lace Wig Adhesive, a nude color wig cap and a rat tail comb. Please don't mind the music, my i pod nano was playing shuffled songs in the other room.

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Hopefully the video is pretty clear on how I apply my lace wigs over my natural hair which is braided down underneath the wig cap. I had to kind of mess with it to get it align properly, but I think the measurements are slightly off. It is very important to measure your hair properly when ordering a custom made full lace unit. I taped my ears down with Vapon lace wig tape so that they won't get caught in the adhesive, and I glued the wig cap down all before I started recording. Then I applied a little foundation powder to the wig cap to help it match my skin color.

I am still working on my editing skills, so for some reason the video comes to a stand still from about 7:58 to 8:15, but the video resumes properly thereafter. Please check out some of my favorite items in the Lacefora.com store and subscribe so that you can stay updated on my hair journey and submit comments or requests. The next time I do a length check on my natural hair I want to record some of my flat ironing process to share with you. Until next time...Happy Hair Growing.

My Natural Hair Freshly Shampooed And Conditoned

2010-08-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

My Freshly Washed Natural Hair...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So, I am posting to show my readers my natural hair and how it looks when it is freshly washed with a little bit of product in it. In the video I stated that I used Abba Botanicals but it is really Alba Botanica leave in conditioner and Argan Oil.

Anyway, I removed my 4 week old braids on 8/5/10 using Awapuhi Mango Moisturizing Conditioner by Avalon Organics and water mixed in a spray bottle. I sprayed each braid from root to tip with this conditioner spray, then I used my medium sized wide tooth comb to take down each individual braid. After all the braids were taken down, I detangled my hair with my wide tooth comb and hopped in the shower to rinse my hair and begin to shampoo.

I used VO5 Herbal Escapes Balancing Shampoo first to clarify my hair, then I followed it with Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. I detangled again when the Smooth as Silk conditioner was in my hair to be sure that I have removed all of the shed hair from my head after having braids in for almost a month. I have to say that I shed a lot of hair and I am not happy about that at all. I wanted to take a picture of all of the shed hair, but I was just too disgusted to actually capture it. I swear I could have made a hair piece out of the shed hair, it was that much in my opinion; so I just threw it in the trash and will try to figure out a solution for the shedding. After I let my hair towel dry for about 5 minutes then applied Lustrasilk Aloe Vera Cholestorol (I think I said Olive Oil in the vid, but that's what I get for guessing, but there is an olive oil version as well) from root to tips of my whole head then detangled again with my Denman brush and put the hair in two twist. Then I put on a plastic cap and went to bed with the cholestorol in my hair overnight for a good deep conditioning. In the morning I rinsed the cholestorol out and put on Cantu Shea Butter Leave in conditioner which I have altered with jojoba oil, Castor oil and Hot 6 oil.

36 hours later I shampooed again with my Giovanni Smooth as Silk and used the last of my TreSemme Moisture Rich conditioner and detangled again in the shower. Then after letting my hair towel dry again for 5 minutes, I applied the Alba Botanica Leave in Conditioner and Argan Oil Treatment and it left my hair looking like it is in the video. I definitely know I love the Argan oil treatment, but I had to revisit the leave in because I have used it a couple of times before and it did not give me the wow effect that I go for. Since I am trying to use up all my products before I buy more, I decided to use the Alba Botanica Leave in again and I actually like it. I just might be purchasing that leave in again, I love a good leave in conditioner. I have a brand new bottle of Beauty without Cruelty leave in conditioner that I plan on trying next month when I take my hair down again. I will be just using ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Reconstructer spray and my moisturizing spray that I mixed up for my braids. Since I started using mostly all organic or natural products for my hair I have seen a noticeable difference from when I was using commercial products that contain harsh ingredients like Sodium Laureth Sulfate and others.

I would say that my hair texture is between 3c and 4a and there is a mix of those two textures throughout my head. Be sure to look in the Lacefora.com aStore for hair products that I would recommend lace wig wearers to use to care for their natural or relaxed hair underneath. Right after I recorded this video I braided my hair again using pure aloe vera gel and Jamaican Black Castor Oil on the roots. I try to be very careful and not braid my hair too tightly and I know that I am not because when I move my head up, down or in any direction there is no pulling or tightness on the edges, but I also know they are secure.

Be sure to subscribe to Lacefora.com to ask questions or a special request and stay posted on new things to come.

9 Day Hold on a Full Lace Wig

2010-08-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I am just testing this out again because my last video malfunctioned. I said I had this on for 11 days, but actually it was 9 days. Also, I discovered what that black color was that was starting to show thru the lace, it was a bad combination of the lace wig glue and the Morning Glory Gro-Protect Solution. I will not be using the Gro-Protect Solution any more because I did not like how it reacted with my body chemistry and the lace wig adhesive. Gro-Protect Solution says it protects the hair from glues and it even lists lace wig glues, but I did not find that to be true. This product is sticky and flakes to a white film when it dried on my skin, I did not intentionally apply it to my skin, I applied it to my edges and a little got on my skin in the process.

Like I said, I had this on for 9 days and actually made it to day 10 before I had to remove this application because it was irritating my skin too bad around my hairline. When I removed the wig, I used the C-22 citrus solvent but it was not working as quickly as usual so I also used 91% alcohol and I eventually got it off. The Gro-Protect Solution says to remove it with warm water, but in order for me to get the lace released from the wig cap I had to used lace wig adhesive removers. So, in my opinion the Gro-Protect Solutions is not a good solution for lace wig glues as it promotes. I also had the blackberry color of the Gro-Protect Solution and that was what I saw starting to see through my lace... not a good look.

I will be cleaning my lace wig this weekend and reapplying it minus the Gro-Protect Solutions. I will try to record the process I use to remove adhesives from my lace wigs using the mirror slide method. Be sure to subscribe to stay updated on natural hair protection and lace wigs. Also, check out Lacefora.com's new aStore below for easy online shopping.

Flexirod Set on a Full Lace Wig

2010-07-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

First Flexirod set on my Full Lace Wig.

Hello Lacefora.com,

I am back to show you how to style your full lace wigs and to show you how my full lace wig is holding up. I have had this wig for about 2 months and I really like how it has maintained it's density and softness through several washes. I wash this full lace wig every 1-2 weeks and seal the knots with Walker's Lace Wig Knot Sealer, before and after each shampoo & condition. The hairs have shed on this wig but I like it because it is easier to manage and style. I used 5/8" orange Flexirods to create this look and I also used Aussie Moist Catch the Wave Mousse + Leave-in Conditioner to hold the curl definition from the flexirods. I have included a video demonstration of my first attempt doing this style and I hope you can learn something from it.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So, this is how the curls came out! I like them for my first time but I found that they would not last a whole week like I originally thought. I don't think that I used enough product in all the sections of hair and I wet them after this picture was taken so that made the hair sort of wavy and return back to it's original state in some parts of my full lace wig. I got tons of compliments on my hair the next day so I decided to reset the next night with some Elasta QP Design Foam and the curls were really defined and held firm for a couple of days. I realized after the fact that the Aussie Moist Catch the Wave is a flexible hold and is great for wavy textures, which is why I originally purchased it. Overall, I really recommend these flexirods because they are fairly easy to use and very comfortable to sleep in. I did not sit under a bonnet dryer or hooded dryer, I just allowed them to air set! Be sure to click on the highlighted product links to purchase items that I have used or talked about in this post. Stay tuned for more video demonstrations by Lacefora.com.

Lacefora.com

2010-07-26T21:33:00.001-07:00

I AM TRYING SOMETHING NEW...

Yes, I am starting to add videos to my blog! This is a video of me rambling and touching up my full lace wig that I applied yesterday, 7/25/10. I used Blue Moon Beauty Lace wig glue only on the full application and I also tried Morning Glory's Gro-Protect Solution around my edges to protect it from the glue, so I will be giving a product review on that very soon. Lol! I put the unedited version here on my blog just to give my readers a real view of the mishaps you may have when using lace wig liquid adhesives! I originally posted this on my You Tube channel and my name on there is dkforeal, so that is what you hear me referring to myself. I just got my new camera and I am very excited to begin sharing actual videos of what I have been blogging about. Please be sure to leave a comment and let me know what kind of video examples you would like to see in regards to what I have been talking about on this blog.
Be sure to click on any of the highlighted links to purchase products that I am using in these video demonstrations. I am an affiliate of Amazon.com and I confidently recommend their products and services.

MY SUMMER TIME LACE WIG APPLICATION

2010-07-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Is it hot enough for everyone yet? I know it is here in Southern California and I really needed to figure out a way to stay cool while rocking my Indian Remy full lace wigs. I decided to go back to applying my unit by using a thin nylon cap to protect my hair from rubbing on the lace, instead of using the adhesive bandage and the nylon cap. So, I have a few pictures showing what the inside of a real full lace wig should look like and how I applied the unit. I have to say that this method is a lot cooler than my previous blog using adhesive bandages, but I will go back to using adhesive bandages when the weather cools down, because I think it is the best way to protect my hair and hair line from the lace wig glues and tapes.

I start off by cleaning my face with Ambi Black Soap and exfoliating it with St. Ives Refreshing Scrub then I gently wipe the skin in front of my hairline with 91%-99% Alcohol and allow it to dry. I recently started to tape my ears down when I apply the lace wig adhesives because I noticed that my ears were getting caught in the glue when I am applying my full lace wigs. After I have taped my ears, I apply 2 coats of Walkers Scalp Protector around my hairline allowing each coat to dry evenly before applying another. When the scalp protector has dried I then take a lipstick brush and apply a thin coat of my Blue Moon Beauty (BMB) lace wig glue adhesive. For the back or nape area I apply a second coat when the first has dried. This glue is clear and has a thick consistency but not to thick like other white cream based liquid adhesives, and please be sure to do a skin test on the inside of your arm or back of hand to see if you have any reactions to adhesives.

After the adhesive has dried for about 5-10 minutes I apply a nude color nylon wig cap that I have cut the lining off of. I cut a small slit and go around the thicker edge of the wig cap to leave the thinnest portion of the wig cap in tact and stick it to the adhesive I have just applied in front of my hairline. Can you see how none of my natural hair is exposed to the adhesives. Since it is really hot and I don't want the wig to slide because I tend to sweat a lot, I put an extra layer of BMB to the edge of the wig cap that I just applied, which is totally optional. Next, I place Walkers No Shine Tape to my skin and wig cap on top of the previous layer of glue I just applied. When using the No Shine Tape be sure to peel off the layer of paper that has "This side to Scalp" printed on it, leaving you with two tabs to separate when you are ready to apply your lace wig.

After you have placed the tape all around the perimeter of your head following your natural hairline you may apply and extra layer of liquid adhesive, allow it to dry, then place the edge of your wig to the edge of the hairline you just created using your wig cap, liquid adhesive and tape adhesive. I make sure the wig is lined up correctly before I lay it down because I do not want my wig sitting on my head crooked. I like to start in the very front middle of my head and lay the wig down in small sections then press it down with a rat tail comb. There are plenty of You Tube tutorials showing how to apply lace wigs and perhaps that may give you a better visual on how others apply their lace units, but I have decided to blog about my personal experiences with my lace wigs and hope that this can help someone. I may include video tutorials or product reviews here on my blog, so stay tuned for that in the near future.

I dyed this lace wig with the Wella Color Charm Conditioning Permanent Gel Hair Color in Praline which is a brownish blond color from it's original 4/8 mix which looked very gray to me. I tried to take a picture in the sun to see if the color show's up any better on camera. I applied this on July 11, 2010 and it lasted the whole week with a couple of touch up's on the nape area because of the drastic heat wave in S. California, but it will take a couple of attempts to get it right. I removed the wig today 7/16/10 by spraying 91% alcohol around the edge of my wig and allowing it to breakdown the adhesive so I could carefully remove it from my head. It took about 15 minutes to get it off with the alcohol, but if it is giving you a hard time and is somehow stuck to a few of your natural baby hair, then spray the C-22 citrus solvent and gently work it in, in a circular motion to quickly breakdown the glue and it will slide right off.

Once again, I hope this will be of some assistance to anyone deciding to try a lace wig for the first time or someone needing some extra tips to perfect their application. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think and other information that you want to know about full lace or lace front wigs.

UPDATE...

Okay, so I applied my full lace wig again on 7/19/10 and it was so hot I could not even stand in the bathroom for 5 minutes without breaking out in a full sweat all around my forehead. I was getting so worried that the tape adhesive would not stick to my head because all of the perspiration that I omitted the tape altogether. I simply followed all of my above steps except I did not put any tape adhesive to my wig cap or lace wig, I only used the BMB Super Hold Lace Adhesive to secure my wig cap and full lace wig. I am so happy with this application and I feel a lot cooler without the tape adhesive on my skin. This application is much neater because I allowed each coat of glue to dry at least 10 minutes before applying; if you do not wait for the glue to get somewhat tacky and you place your lace down, the glue will seep through the whole in the lace and make for a messy looking application. I planned on wearing the hair up in a ponytail all week to keep it off my back and neck. I felt so much more comfortable, here are a couple of pictures.

IS A LACE WIG REALLY A PROTECTIVE STYLE?

2010-07-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Lacefora.com readers,

I am a member of a popular hair care forum and some of the ladies there are in debate over whether or not a lace wig is an actual protective style or does it ruin your hair and your hairline. A lot of ladies were saying do not use glue or any adhesives to apply your lace front or full lace wigs because you would lose your hairline and they said that it has happened to them. I want to clear up this issue by giving my own opinion and experiences when using lace wigs as my protective style.

I have been wearing lace wigs as a protective style of choice since September 2009, this is a photo of my current wig which is a 16" Indian Remy curly unit, and I have not had any major issues with losing anymore hair than I already had lost before using a lace wig. I suffer from traction alopecia and have been dealing with my hair issues since I was a teenager. I have what many call hand in hair syndrome which means that I have some sort of obsession with touching my hair and pulling on it to see how long it is or how good the curls spring back into place among other things. Since I have a bald spot on the right side of my head I was very limited to certain hairstyles like ponytails or wearing my hair down iron straight. These hairstyles are very damaging to your natural hair because heat causes a lot of shedding, split ends and breakage if you are not using the heat properly. When I wore ponytails I would pull my hair very tight to make sure it was neat and stayed in place all day without showing my bald spot. I created a blog dedicated to my journey with my alopecia and go more in depth about it there.

Lace wigs have been a saving grace for me and my hair because they have protected me from my hair! It seems funny but it is the truth, I do not touch my hair when I have the lace wig on, so my hair is just moisturized, braided (to prevent tangles) and protected from the sun. This is a picture of my natural hair air dried with a little Argan Oil Treatment in it to help mend split ends, tame the frizz factor and any previous damage that I had before I started this journey. I only use natural products on my natural hair now and I can see how it has really helped my hair retain length and become healthier. I use JASON'S Biotin Shampoo and JASON'S Biotin Conditioner which cleans my hair and scalp just enough without stripping out all of the natural oils in my hair. I also like to use Giovanni's line of natural organic products for my hair because they have a lot of styling products that I use to style my natural hair. I really like the Giovanni wax pomade for slicking down my edges when I wear my lace wig to make sure all of my hair is out of the way of the adhesive that I choose to use.

I apply my lace wigs with Lace wig glue and tape adhesives. I use Walkers No Shine Tape, Super Tape and Pro Flex Tape as my tape adhesive of choice and I use Walker Ultra Hold or BMB (Blue Moon Beauty) liquid adhesive. I have had to experiment with a lot of liquid adhesives to find out which one's worked for my lifestyle and body chemistry. I have tried Ms. Lola's adhesive which did not hold well and had my wig sliding back within a day, I tried Salon Pro 30 Second, Oil Resistant White Glue, Vapon No Tape, Spirit Gum, and a couple of others. None of those adhesives worked well for me because they did not give me the bond or hold time that I was looking for, when I put the wig in place I want it to stay there and not move. I precisely place the glue in front of my hairline and not on my hair; so I want the wig to be right in front of my hairline and not on my hair! You can run into major problems if you get the glue on your hairline because if not removed with the proper adhesive remover it will rip your hair out when to attempt to remove the wig without it. Good adhesive removers are 91%-99% alcohol or C-22 which is a citrus remover which breaks down the glue immediately and smells great. If any adhesive gets on your scalp it will block the hair follicle and prevent any natural moisture or air from getting in and out of the follicle which will lead to the hair strand falling out. I have not suffered any damage to my hairline and judging from this photo of the middle of my head, my scalp looks really healthy in my opinion.

So in summary, yes I do believe a lace wig is a valid protective style when used properly and when you take the time to take care of your natural hair underneath the lace wig. When you remove the lace unit be sure to use a good shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioner preferably all in the same line. I say the same line because when shampoo's and conditioners are created they are made to compliment one another and the chemistry balances one another out. My natural hair is in better health and longer than it's ever been and this is because of low manipulation and simply leaving it alone while keeping it protected from my hands by covering it with the lace wig and forgetting about it. I hope this helps some of you readers and if you have any specific questions feel free to leave a comment or send me a personal email.

My Natural Hair Growth Update!

2010-07-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Lacefora.com readers,

I just wanted to update you on my latest length check which included deep conditioning, air drying, blow drying, and flat ironing my natural 3c/4a hair. So, I have still been using my Jamaican Black Castor Oil in most of my topical oil scalp treatments as the base carrier oil and I have added jojoba, Emu, Hot Six oils mixed in there as well. I apply the oil to my scalp on a weekly basis and massage it in. I have stuck to all of my natural hair care products like Giovanni Smooth as Silk Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner which are organic and sulfate free. Sticking with all natural and organic products have really helped me retain my length and growth. A great place to shop online for one stop shopping is VitaPal.com - Discount Vitamin Warehouse. , you can pay one flat shipping price for all of your items.

I continue to wear my lace wig units on a weekly basis and take them off on the weekend to wash my hair and let my scalp get fresh air. I will post my summer lace wig application process soon!

I have also recently discovered Argan Oil or Moroccan Oil which is a wonderful product for natural or relaxed hair. After I shampooed and conditioned my hair I sectioned my hair into four sections and applied about a dime to quarter size amount of Argan Oil to each section and braided them. This is a picture of my hair air dried with the Argan Oil in it, can you see how much shine it gives my hair without weighing it down? This product is a must try! I purchased this from Sally's Beauty Supply for $8.99 but they run out quick so I have also highlighted links to where you can find it online without the hassle.

From this point I blew dry each section with the comb attachment then flat ironed my hair with the Marcel Flat iron with the comb chase method. I used the Ceramic Tools JBC10 tension comb. I took small sections, bumped the roots and went down the length, then I took the tension comb and grabbed the section and went down the section chasing the comb with the flat iron.

Here is an example of what I mean, but the iron is not hot and this is not my hair it is a lace wig.

Once I completed my whole head using this method it gave me the bone straight look I was going for with the help of the Argan Oil. The One 'n' Only Argan Oil is an oil treatment that promotes instant shine, smoothness, frizz control, color protection and heat protection all in one. I give this product a thumbs up, it left my hair so soft and manageable, I really enjoyed using this product on my natural hair.

As you can see I am a few inches away from Bra Strap Length even after I trimmed off about an inch and a half before taking this photo because I had not trimmed them since December 2009! I am very pleased with my progress and I will continue to wear my lace wigs as my protective style of choice. Like I have previously stated, I french braid or cornrow my hair to get to lay as flat as possible under my full lace wigs so that it can look natural as well.

Here are a couple of comparison pics from December 2009 to this current July 2010 length check. Please feel free to leave comments and ask any questions you may have.

Thanks for reading....